Interactive gratuity platform

• US 10,636,019 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Square Inc (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Abrons, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US15/087,960
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

In some examples, methods and systems generate interactive receipts with the option of a dynamic tip amount. The method includes determining at least one tip determinant based at least in part on the payment transaction, wherein the tip determinant is selected from a group of: the merchant; the customer; a payment object presented by the customer towards the payment transaction; a geographical location of a mobile device associated with one of the merchant and the customer; and a category of a merchant'"'"'s item corresponding to the payment transaction. The method includes obtaining, by a dynamic tip generator, a tipping profile based on a history of tipping behavior associated with the tip determinant and generating, by the dynamic tip generator, at least one dynamic tip amount based at least on the tipping profile, which is presented to the customer.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating a digital receipt in response to a payment transaction between a customer and a merchant, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing devices associated with a payment processing service and from an instance of a point-of-sale (POS) application installed on a merchant mobile device associated with the merchant, transaction data associated with the payment transaction between the merchant and the customer;

retrieving, by the one or more computing devices and based on the transaction data, at least one tip determinant of a plurality of tip determinants, wherein the at least one tip determinant is further based at least in part on an item type of an item purchased via the payment transaction;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, a tipping profile for the payment transaction based at least in part on a history of tipping behavior associated with the at least one tip determinant;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, one or more dynamic tip amounts based at least on the tipping profile;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, the digital receipt indicative of the payment transaction, wherein the digital receipt includes a plurality of interactive components, including an interactive tipping component configured to enable the customer to select, via the instance of the POS application on the merchant mobile device, one of the one or more dynamic tip amounts associated with the payment transaction; and

transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the generated digital receipt to the merchant mobile device, wherein the transmitting causes a user interface associated with the merchant mobile device to present the interactive tipping component configured to enable the customer to select one of the one or more dynamic tip amounts via an interaction with the user interface that is displayed on the merchant mobile device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising associating, by the one or more computing devices, a weight to the at least one tip determinant, and wherein the plurality of tip determinants are arranged in a hierarchy of tip determinants based on weights of individual tip determinants of the plurality of tip determinants.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the interactive tipping component is associated with a transaction timeframe that defines a time period for the customer to select one of the one or more dynamic tip amounts using the interactive tipping component, and wherein a nominal amount configured by the customer is automatically authorized as a default tip when no selection of one of the one or more dynamic tip amounts is received within the transaction timeframe.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interactive components includes an interactive feedback component for the customer to submit feedback associated with the payment transaction, and wherein the interactive feedback component is configured to update the tipping profile for a subsequent payment transaction.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interactive components includes an interactive promotion component for the customer to redeem a promotional reward, wherein, upon determining that the promotional reward has been applied, and wherein the computer-implemented method further includes generating the one or more dynamic tip amounts based at least on an original cost of the item and the tipping profile.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an interactive transaction record that is accessible via the digital receipt, the interactive transaction record comprising a plurality of transaction records completed between the customer and the merchant; and

for every digital receipt generated for a new payment transaction between the customer and the merchant, updating the interactive transaction record.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication of the payment transaction includes receiving data associated with a payment object presented by the customer for payment towards the payment transaction.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 further comprising:

based at least in part on the data associated with the payment object, determining that the payment object has a fixed value;

determining a remaining value on the payment object after deducting a cost of the item from the fixed value; and

generating the one or more dynamic tip amounts based on the remaining value.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request to generate the tipping profile at substantially the same time as a request for authorization of a payment object presented by the customer.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more computing devices and at least partly via the user interface of the merchant mobile device, a first input requesting that an open ticket for the payment transaction be opened;

opening, by the one or more computing devices, the open ticket for the payment transaction in response to the first input;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices and from the merchant mobile device, first information associated with a first payment instrument received at a payment object reader of the merchant mobile device, the first payment instrument to satisfy at least part of a total cost of the payment transaction, wherein the total cost of the payment transaction includes a cost of the item being purchased and the one or more dynamic tip amounts;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices and at least partly via the user interface, a second input specifying one or more first items to add to the open ticket;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a first cost of the payment transaction of the one or more first items wherein the first cost includes the cost of the item being purchased;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, the one or more dynamic tip amounts based at least in part on the tipping profile associated with the first information, the first input, and the first cost of the payment transaction;

transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the first cost, the one or more dynamic tip amounts, and the tipping profile to the merchant mobile device within the digital receipt;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices and via the user interface, a third input specifying one or more second items to add to the open ticket, wherein the third input is provided when the merchant mobile device is offline with respect to the payment processing service;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, a second cost of the payment transaction, based on adding the one or more second items;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, an updated value of the one or more dynamic tip amounts based on the tipping profile associated with the third input;

adding, by the one or more computing devices, the updated value of the one or more dynamic tip amounts to the digital receipt;

closing, by the one or more computing devices, the open ticket; and

processing, by the one or more computing devices, the payment transaction with an amount in the digital receipt when the merchant mobile device is online with respect to the payment processing service.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising saving a last-known state of the tipping profile on the merchant mobile device.

12. A system of a payment processing service for generating a dynamic gratuity amount on a payment transaction between a merchant and a customer, the system comprising:

a memory;

one or more processors to execute instructions stored in the memory for;

receiving, by one or more computing devices associated with the payment processing service and from an instance of a point-of-sale (POS) application installed on a merchant mobile device associated with the merchant, transaction data associated with the payment transaction between the merchant and the customer;

retrieving, by the one or more computing devices associated with the payment processing service and based on the transaction data, at least one tip determinant, wherein the at least one tip determinant is further based at least in part on an item type of an item purchased via the payment transaction;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, a tipping profile for the payment transaction based at least in part on a history of tipping behavior associated with the at least one tip determinant;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, at least one dynamic tip amount based at least in part on the tipping profile;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, a digital receipt indicative of the payment transaction, wherein the digital receipt includes an interactive tipping component configured to enable the customer to select, via the instance of the POS application on the merchant mobile device, the at least one dynamic tip amount associated with the payment transaction; and

transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the generated digital receipt to the merchant mobile device, wherein the transmitting causes a user interface of the merchant mobile device to present the interactive tipping component configured to enable the customer to select the at least one of the one or more dynamic tip amount via an interaction with the user interface that is displayed on the merchant mobile device.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an exception handler to override the at least one dynamic tip amount with a customer-generated tip amount.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising a pattern recognition component configured to:

analyze tipping profiles corresponding to the at least one tip determinant;

extract a pattern in the tipping profile; and

generate a tip relationship between the customer and the merchant based on the pattern.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising an open tickets data table configured to:

maintain an open ticket;

track incoming items into the open ticket; and

dynamically modify the at least one dynamic tip amount based on the incoming items.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising executing by a dynamic tip generator, further instructions to assign respective weights to the at least one tip determinant.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media maintaining instructions stored in a memory that, when executed by one or more processors, program the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing devices associated with a payment processing service and from an instance of a point-of-sale (POS) application installed on a merchant mobile device associated with a merchant, transaction data associated with a payment transaction between the merchant and a customer;

retrieving, by the one or more computing devices and based on the transaction data, at least one tip determinant of a plurality of tip determinants, wherein the at least one tip determinant is further based at least in part on an item type of an item purchased via the payment transaction;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, a tipping profile for the payment transaction based at least in part on a history of tipping behavior associated with the at least one tip determinant;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, at least one dynamic tip amount based at least in part on the tipping profile;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, a digital receipt indicative of the payment transaction, wherein the digital receipt includes an interactive tipping component for enabling the customer to select, via the instance of the POS application on the merchant mobile device, the at least one dynamic tip amount associated with the payment transaction; and

transmitting, by the one more computing devices, the generated digital receipt to the merchant mobile device wherein the transmitting causes a user interface of the merchant mobile device to present the interactive tipping component configured to enable the customer to select the at least one of the one or more dynamic tip amount via an interaction with the user interface that is displayed on the merchant mobile device.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, the acts further comprising associating respective weights to the at least one tip determinant, and wherein the plurality of tip determinants are arranged in a hierarchy based on the respective weights.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, the acts further comprising:

receiving, via the user interface of the merchant mobile device, a first input requesting that an open ticket for the payment transaction be opened;

opening, in response to the first input, the open ticket for the payment transaction;

receiving, from the merchant mobile device, first information associated with a first payment instrument received at a payment object reader of the merchant mobile device, the first payment instrument satisfying at least part of a total cost of the payment transaction, wherein the total cost of the payment transaction includes a cost of the item being purchased and the at least one dynamic tip amount;

receiving, via the user interface, a second input specifying one or more first items to add to the open ticket;

determining a first cost of the payment transaction of the one or more first items, wherein the first cost includes the cost of the item being purchased;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, the at least one dynamic tip amount based on the tipping profile associated with the first information, the first input, and the first cost of the payment transaction;

transmitting the first cost of the payment transaction, the at least one dynamic tip amount, and the tipping profile to the mobile device within the digital receipt;

receiving, via the user interface, a third input specifying one or more second items to add to the open ticket, wherein the third input is provided when the merchant mobile device is offline;

determining a second cost of the payment transaction based on adding the one or more second items;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, an updated value of the at least one dynamic tip amount based on the tipping profile associated with the third input, wherein the merchant mobile device is communicatively coupled to the payment processing service;

adding the updated value of the at least one dynamic tip amount to the digital receipt;

closing the open ticket; and

processing the payment transaction with an amount in the digital receipt when the merchant mobile device is online.

20. A computing device of a payment processing service, the computing device comprising:

a memory;

one or more processors to execute instructions stored in the memory for;

receiving, from an instance of a point-of-sale (POS) application installed on a merchant mobile device associated with the merchant, transaction data associated with the payment transaction between the merchant and the customer;

retrieving, based on the transaction data, at least one tip determinant, wherein the at least one tip determinant is further based at least in part on an item type of an item purchased via the payment transaction;

generating a tipping profile for the payment transaction based at least in part on a history of tipping behavior associated with the at least one tip determinant;

generating at least one dynamic tip amount based at least in part on the tipping profile;

generating a digital receipt indicative of the payment transaction, wherein the digital receipt includes an interactive tipping component configured to enable the customer to select, via the instance of the POS application on the merchant mobile device, the at least one dynamic tip amount associated with the payment transaction; and

transmitting the generated digital receipt to the merchant mobile device, wherein the transmitting causes a user interface of the merchant mobile device to present the interactive tipping component configured to enable the customer to select the at least one of the one or more dynamic tip amount via an interaction with the user interface that is displayed on the merchant mobile device.

21. The computing device of claim 20, further comprising a pattern recognition component configured to:

analyze tipping profiles corresponding to the at least one tip determinant;

extract a pattern in the tipping profile; and

generate a tip relationship between the customer and the merchant based on the pattern.

22. The computing device of claim 20, further comprising an open tickets data table stored in the memory, the open tickets data table being configured to:

maintain an open ticket;

track incoming items into the open ticket; and

dynamically modify the at least one dynamic tip amount based on the incoming items.

23. The computing device of claim 20 further comprising an exception handler to override the at least one dynamic tip amount with a customer-generated tip amount.